Canada’s immigration department has made the latest announcement about the two new, previously declared immigration pilot programs, the Rural Community Immigration Pilot and the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot. In the latest phase, these two new pilots begin accepting community applications. Find more details about the programs below.

Canada’s Two New Pilots Begin Accepting Community Applications

The two new immigration programs, the Rural Community Immigration Pilot & the Francophone Community Immigration Pilot, are scheduled to begin training and onboarding selected communities this autumn. According to IRCC, these programs are designed to support the long-term growth and linguistic vitality in Canada.

The department publicized these programs in March this year and intends to start accepting newcomer applications this autumn. Still, IRCC has not announced a specific date yet. 

According to IRCC, it aims to process around 5,500 permanent resident (PR) applications under these two programs annually.

IRCC stated that 15 communities will be selected to participate in the pilot programs in total. These will be selected based on different factors, such as the availability of services and programs to assist newcomers, their economic needs, and the capacity of their economic development organizations to partner with IRCC.

Organizations interested in these programs may apply on behalf of their communities through IRCC’s questionnaire by July 2.

IRCC’s Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot

Canada’s immigration programs begin as pilot programs. This implies that IRCC introduces a new program for trial purposes to assess its results. If the program proves to have a positive impact, the department decides to make the program permanent. A notable example is Canada’s Atlantic Immigration Program. In general, a pilot programs can operate for a maximum of five years. 

Notably, the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot will replace the present Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP). It’s one of the economic immigration pathways to permanent residence in Canada.

IRCC chooses rural communities in western Canada and assists Ontario in attracting and retaining newcomers via RNIP. The officials select newcomers who can help these communities grow by contributing their skills to the regional economy. In return, these communities support new immigrants in their establishment. 

The IRCC has not yet released the eligibility criteria for communities or new applicants for this program.

IRCC’s Francophone Community Immigration Pilot

In Canada, Manitoba is the only majority French-speaking province, and thus IRCC has a mandate to promote the French language throughout Canada, outside of Quebec.

According to IRCC, this new pilot will prioritize expanding the number of French-speaking newcomers settling outside of Quebec in Francophone minority communities. This will additionally contribute to the economic growth of Francophone minority communities while also restoring and increasing their demographic weight.

This pilot program is part of IRCC’s continuous effort to raise the number of proficient French individuals in Canada. 

IRCC department’s other notable actions include the introduction of category-based selection with a category-specific to French language proficiency. 

As per a report, around 30% of invitations under category-based draws will go to candidates with French language proficiency. This is comparable to the invitations to be issued for any other category.

IRCC, in a recent Access to Information Request, stated that newcomers with high speaking abilities in one or both of the official languages of Canada are more likely to succeed economically.

In 2023, IRCC exceeded its aim of ensuring that 4.4% of all new immigrants to Canada spoke French, reaching as high as 4.7%. Presently, there is a target of 6% in 2024; this rises to 7% in 2025 and 8% in 2026.

Are you ready to immigrate to Canada but have concerns about the process and pathways? Feel free to connect with our experienced immigration experts for help at NavaImmigration. You can also send us an email at [email protected]